Abstract: A high-speed, high-resolution column A/D converter having a noise reduction function to eliminate a fixed pattern noise etc. is provided with a small circuit scale. Each column A/D converter includes a dual-output D/A converter for selecting two reference voltages from among a reference voltage group supplied in common to each column A/D converter, so as to output the two reference voltages to sandwich each sensor signal voltage input to each column A/D converter, along with a charge-redistribution D/A converter having a full scale determined by the above two reference voltages. Thus, the high-speed, high-resolution column A/D converter is achieved with a small circuit scale. Further, by the utilization of high-speed conversion capability, noise reduction is performed through digital calculation after the A/D conversion.

Abstract: A network apparatus includes a learning table that stores transmission destination information, which is used in transmitting a frame to a node, in association with an address of a node of a transmission destination, an address inquiring unit that transmits, when detecting a frame indicating a transmission request and transmission destination information associated with an address of a transmission destination of the detected frame is not stored in the storing unit, an inquiry request for the transmission destination information to an adjacent node, the inquiry request being added with a predetermined number of hops indicating a number of nodes to which the inquiring request is transmitted, and a frame transmitting unit that transmits, based on response information to the inquiry request, the frame indicating the transmission request.

Abstract: A gateway apparatus including: a route control packet generating unit that generates a route control packet for constructing routes between node apparatuses forming an ad hoc network and the gateway apparatus; a channel designation signal generating unit that generates channel designation signal for designating a second channel different from a first channel on which the ad hoc network transmits and receives packets; a time designation signal generating unit that generates time designation signal for designating switching time to the node apparatus for switching the channel used for transmission and reception of packets to the second channel; a radio communication unit that transmits the route control packet, the channel designation signal and the time designation signal on the first channel; and a channel switching unit that switches, when it is time to switch, the channel on which the radio communication unit transmits and receives a signal to the second channel.

Abstract: A node apparatus for forming a wireless ad-hoc network, including: a recognition possibility determination unit that determines whether or not a gateway apparatus connecting the wireless ad-hoc network to other network can be recognized; an adjoining node detection unit that detects other node apparatus which is the source of a received packet as an adjoining node; a channel switching unit that switches, when the recognition possibility determination unit determines that the gateway apparatus cannot be recognized, the channel used for reception of packets transmitted in the wireless ad-hoc network successively to each of a plurality of channels; and a channel selection unit that selects a channel to be used for communication in the wireless ad-hoc network based on the number of adjoining nodes detected by the adjoining node detection unit in each of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope with a bending portion installed on a distal side of an insertion portion; a bending drive unit which drives and bends the bending portion electrically; a map information storage unit which stores map information digitized by associating an amount of bending and a corresponding three-dimensional position and direction of a distal end of the insertion portion with each other, with a position near a rear end of the bending portion being designated as a reference position; a position and direction detecting unit which detects the position and direction of the distal end of the insertion portion; and a bending control unit which controls the bending drive unit to orient the distal end of the insertion portion into a target direction using the map information.

Abstract: A conditioner composition that increases the deposition and retention of benefit agent containing polyacrylate microcapsules onto hair. The conditioner composition is based on the combination of anionic charged polyacrylate microcapsules, deposition aids, conditioner agents, and a carrier.

Abstract: In a motor control unit, a current-carrying failure detection unit determines a first determination condition and a second determination condition. The current-carrying failure detection unit measures a duration of a state where the first determination condition is satisfied, and a duration of a state where the second determination condition is satisfied. When the first or second duration exceeds a predetermined reference period, the current-carrying failure detection unit determines that a current-carrying failure has occurred.

Abstract: A medical device for examination or treatment based on a reference point A1, including: a virtual endoscopic image generation section configured to generate a virtual endoscopic image from a plurality of different sight line positions using three-dimensional image data of a bronchus that is obtained in advance; an image retrieving section configured to retrieve a virtual endoscopic image highly similar to a real image; a reference-point setting section configured to set the reference point A1 based on a line-of-sight position A0 of the highly similar virtual endoscopic image; a relative-position calculation section configured to calculate a relative position of a treatment instrument to the reference point A1; a movement detection section configured to detect a movement of the reference point A1 or the bronchus; and a position correction section configured to correct the relative position in response to the movement of the reference point A1 or the bronchus.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having a surgical unit which operates on an operating portion in a body cavity, an accommodation portion capable of accommodating the surgical unit. The surgical instrument having movement manipulation mechanism connected to the surgical unit for moving the surgical unit to a position at which the surgical unit is accommodated in the accommodation portion and to a position at which the surgical unit is exposed from the accommodation portion along the inside of the accommodation portion.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus which is capable of generating XPS data having a data sequence suited to print settings for non-normal-order printing, from XPS data generated as a print spool file for normal-order printing. In the information processing apparatus, a layout filter receives an XPS document from a filter pipeline manager, and acquires print setting information indicative of print settings from the XPS document. Then, the layout filter determines a data sequence for printing based on the acquired print setting information. Then, the layout filter changes layout information described in the received XPS document according to the determined data sequence, and rearranges data files in the XPS document in a sequence determined based on the changed layout information, to thereby generate an XPS document.

Abstract: Radio apparatuses each has a plurality of channels and, when data is to be transmitted, selects a specific channel having relatively low signal interference from the plurality of channels. Each radio apparatus spreads transmission data with a prescribed spread code arbitrarily selected from a plurality of spread codes, and modulates the spread spectrum signal with the frequency of the specific channel to transmit. As a result, delay in an autonomously established wireless network can be reduced.

Abstract: An endoscope bending control apparatus includes: an image feature value calculating section for calculating, based on an endoscopic image, an image feature value related to a luminal dark part; a bending control section for performing bending control on a bending portion in either one of a first bending operation mode in which a position of the luminal dark part is set as an insertion target and a distal end of the insertion portion is directed to the position and a second bending operation mode in which the distal end of the insertion portion is directed in a direction of the position of the luminal dark part; an operation mode switching section for switching an operation mode from one bending operation mode to the other according to a first switching condition based on the calculated image feature value; and a switching condition changing section for changing the first switching condition.

Abstract: A vibration type microinjection device capable of ensuring smooth piercing of membranes having different properties such as a zona pellucida, a cell membrane and a nuclear membrane included in a fertilized egg with high accuracy and efficiency is provided. A vibration type microinjection device comprises a vibrator (28) which is connected in series with a micropipette (8) and which has a piezoelectric actuator (29) installed in a housing, and a signal control device (21) for controlling an electric signal applied to the piezoelectric actuator (29), wherein vibration is applied in the longitudinal direction of the micropipette (8) via the vibrator (28) by inputting an electric signal to the piezoelectric actuator (29). By such configuration, smooth piercing of membranes having different properties such as a zona pellucida, a cell membrane and nuclear membrane included in a fertilized egg is realized with high accuracy and efficiency.

Abstract: It is also an object of the present invention to provide objective advertisement plan(s). The target specifying information storage part 202 stores information for specifying target attribution including information for specifying information delivery medium of an object to contact with correspondently with searchers' id. The search term storage part 203 correspondently stores a searcher's id, the timing of search, and the term used for the search. The extraction part 204 extracts the timing of search for such search term for each searcher's id, segments the extracted search timing for each searcher's id into a predetermined number in chronological order and then extracts searcher's id belonging to each segment.

Abstract: An endoscope system of the invention includes: an endoscope including an insertion portion, a distal end portion provided on a distal end side of the insertion portion, and a bending portion which is capable of changing a position and an orientation of the distal end portion; a position detecting section for acquiring position information on a position where the distal end portion is located; a passing target position setting section for setting a passing target position for the distal end portion; a path estimating section for estimating a path through which the distal end portion is to be passed; a bending control target position setting section for setting a bending control target position such that the distal end portion reaches the passing target position along the path; and a bending control information calculating section for calculating an amount of bending and a bending direction of the bending portion.

Abstract: A medical image processing method for image processing of a medical image picking up an image of a living mucous comprises a boundary information detecting step for detecting boundary information corresponding to a boundary portion of a living mucous from the medical image and a mucous feature detecting step for detecting presence of a living mucous with a different feature on the basis of the boundary information detected at the boundary information detecting step.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, which includes an image processing unit to perform image processing for image data corresponding to an image to be formed on a printable medium; and a compensation unit to performs compensation processing on the image processed image data by increasing, by a compensation amount, a depth of shade of a pixel arranged in a printing direction adjacent to a solid pixel having a depth of shade greater than a predetermined value, so as to compensate for a depth deterioration of the adjacent pixel.

Abstract: Radio devices (31 to 43) receive a prescribed number of Hello packets from each of n radio devices existing within one hop from each radio device, detects six pairs of maximum and minimum values MAX[1] and MIN[1] to MAX[6] and MIN[6] based on the plurality of reception signal strengths of the plurality of received Hello packets, detects two adjacent maximum values having the largest difference among six pairs of maximum and minimum values D_MAX[1] and D_MIN[1] to D_MAX[6] and D_MIN[6] when the six maximum values MAX[1] to MAX[6] are in descending order, and determines the average of two minimum values corresponding to the detected two maximum values as a threshold. The radio devices (31 to 43) each produce a routing table including routes having reception signal strengths equal to or more than the threshold.

Abstract: It is also an object of the present invention to provide objective advertisement plan(s). The target specifying information storage part 202 stores information for specifying target attribution including information for specifying information delivery medium of an object to contact with correspondently with searchers' ID. The search term storage part 203 correspondently stores a searcher's ID, the timing of search, and the term used for the search. The extraction part 204 extracts the timing of search for such search term for each searcher's ID, segments the extracted search timing for each searcher's ID into a predetermined number in chronological order and then extracts searcher's ID belonging to each segment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to evaluate print quality determines an indicator thereof by measuring a reflectance of printed dots by scanning a medium on which pattern data having a predetermined pattern is printed. The predetermined pattern includes a highlight region and a shadow region. An average of reflectances of the highlight region in the predetermined pattern and an average of reflectances of the shadow region thereof are determined, and a contrast value is determined from a difference between the averages. The indicator is determined from the contrast value. Accordingly, deterioration of print quality that occurs due to a mismatch of a print position is considered, and furthermore, a change in print gradation and a degree of mixing with noise components is also considered in the print quality evaluation.